Why the Chiefs' fourth-and-1 didn't work, and what Andy Reid thinks now - The Athletic

The judges had everything they could want in a four-and-one match.This is why it changed again.

Kansas City, Mo. - Shortly after Sunday night's 20-10 loss at home to the Houston Texans, Kansas City coach Andy Reid said he was wrong to go for it on fourth-and-1 early in the fourth quarter.

However, Reid had little time to think and said Monday afternoon that he does not regret his decision to be aggressive on offense from the Chiefs' 31 in a tied game.

“I thought it was the right thing to do then,” Reid said Monday. “This is terrible to say in a situation like this because we didn’t win and we didn’t get that. But I would probably do that same thing again.”

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes' pass fell incomplete, and the Texans finished with the final 10 points of the game to take control of the game.

Reid said he understood gravity on the ground when he thought it didn't affect the field.

"When you don't get them, it can be a problem, especially when they're in that zone (for the opponent). Know that," Reed said.

Reid said that part of the reason he decided to do it with 10:27 left is that the country's training staff.

A closer analysis of the All-22 film reveals what it suggests - although some small details keep the heads from performing the way they like.

The Chiefs sent receiver Hollywood Brown into the backfield before the snap.It was a strategic move as the Chiefs paved the way for a great matchup.

By moving Brown to that spot, the Chiefs moved him into a position where he was covered man-to-man by Texas linebacker Henry Tooto.The 243-pound To'oToo had other things going against him as Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and receiver Rushie Rice ran across the field to create additional traffic that he would have to get to Brown on the opposite sideline.

Reid said it was a fourth-and-one conversion on Thanksgiving the team had for Jared Wiley, where the tight end caught a pass toward the sideline and outran a defender to gain 4 yards and extend the drive.

So why is the owner's job done on Sunday night?

A few small details went wrong.

Start with the protection.Texans pass rush beat the right side of the offensive line in the snap, and right guard Mike Caliendo and right tackle Jaylon Moore gave up immediately, affecting Brown's ability to get out of the backfield.That threw off some of the timing because it meant Brown was late to the plate as a first read.

The play still might have worked if Rice had blocked more.As he ran down the field, he hit Texans linebacker Aziz Al-Shayr, who was the only defender who had a chance to tackle Brown when he threw the ball.

But Rice didn't clear Al Sheer, which turned into a double play for the Chiefs.Not only did it semi-cover Brown, but it also took Rice out of his time as he got in his way.

Reid confirmed on Monday that the toy was designed to reveal chocolate.He also admitted that Anderson's often-timed exan led quickly to the right side "a little bit crazy on this ball."

"We're in a productive game," Reid said. "We need to stop doing business there."

Mahomes, after checking Brown's throw after his team's initial struggles, went through his stride and tried to throw to Rice.Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. was knocked down from behind on the toss.

"They did a good job reading the crossers. I was hoping I could be a little early, or if I could buy a little more time, maybe try to hit the top of the defender," Mahomes said.

Those who got up went to you - then talked about the flow of the game.The second half included a total loss of -2-2 yards in the third quarter.

Even Reid doubted himself immediately afterward, saying in his postgame press conference that he saw the moment as an opportunity for his team to take control.

"I made a mistake. I made a mistake on the back end," Reeid said Sunday night.

As for the game, the Chiefs are the NFL's best team, fourth down at 80.7 percent.

The Advanced Fourth Down Calculator also supports Reed's decision.

Espn's model said the Chiefs moved their expected win probability from 49.5 to 51.7 percent by getting it instead of revenge.At the time, the Ben Baldwin update site had a strong "Go" waist, saying the move improved the Chiefs from 51 to 56 percent.

Reid has certainly changed from the previous game.In a Thanksgiving road loss to the Cowboys, Reid was doubled on fourth down from Cowboys territory. K.C.'s defense didn't hold up in those situations, and the Chiefs offense ultimately ran out of opportunities in a 31-28 loss.

In the end, Reid said he believes the team on Sunday's fourth-and-1 call is not enough to get the desired position.

"Part of what goes for the fourth is you have to feel (good about) what you've got," Reid said."We thought we had a good one for them."